"I felt a big hole in my heart when I was at Stratford that couldn't be filled," Abdul-Bashir, a junior, said. "Even being around old friends couldn't really do it. I felt like coming back to St. Joes, being back around coach Del (Joe DellaVecchia), and being back with a bunch of people that really loved me, really made me feel proud.

"I'm really proud to be wearing maroon and gold."

Abdul-Bashir played seven games with St. Joseph last season. He gave it an invaluable running threat to go along with its successful passing game. He averaged 7.67 yards a carry and ran for five touchdowns.

Neither Abdul-Bashir or the Cadets were the same following his departure. Abdul-Bashir needed structure. St. Joseph needed a running back. It had a team capable of winning a state title, but lost to eventual Class M champ Hillhouse in the quarterfinals.

Abdul-Bashir realized over the summer that he needed to get back to St. Joseph.

"I had a conversation with my mother," he said. "We felt that coming back was the better solution.

"(I needed) structure, discipline, and a lot of people who really care. The St. Joseph community is one of the best communities in the state."

St. Joseph was willing to take Abdul-Bashir back, providing he met certain conditions.

"When he left, he wasn't doing the right things that he should've been doing," DellaVecchia said. "He admitted some mistakes that he made, not that he was doing bad things. He was being a clown, so to speak. He matured a lot. He knew this was the best place for him to develop as a young man.

"We're excited to have him back. The kids on the team are excited to have him back. There were certain rules that he had to abide by and the kids set them. It was their decision. I said, 'He wants to come back, to be part of you guys, and what do you think?' They all said to a man, 'Yeah. He's going to do it our way.' They sat down with him. They talked to him. They've really been helpful to the kid. He's had a tough life. His foster mother is really supportive of him. She's a wonderful person."

St. Joseph had passed its way to its first three wins. Senior Jordan Vazzano, starting his third season, had averaged 304 yards and thrown 12 touchdowns.

The Blue Wave defended the pass well on Saturday and led 14-7 at halftime. DellaVecchia decided it was time to unleash Abdul-Bashir and the offensive line.

Wise decision. Abdul-Bashir rushed 16 times for 161 yards and two touchdowns in the second half.

Abdul-Bashir ran for a 2-yard touchdown on the Cadets' first drive of the second half to tie the game.

Darien turned the ball over on downs at the St. Joseph 6-yard line to start the fourth quarter.

Abdul-Bashir got the ball on first down and broke several tackles for a 45-yard run. It was an impressive display of power given that he's built more like a whippet back (5-foot-9, 165 pounds) than, say, Adrian Peterson.

"I might not be that big, but I have a lot of heart for a little guy," Abdul Bashir said. "It's going to be hard to take me down."

"When it comes to run blocking, they know exactly what they're doing," Abdul-Bashir said of the offensive line. "(Right guard) Mestre is one of the best guys in the state that can run a trap. He can put someone on their butt."

As Abdul-Bashir discussed how beneficial it was for his life to be back at St. Joseph, a reporter mentioned that playing behind such a huge line was pretty beneficial, too.